Stanford CS193p

Developing Applications for iPhone 4, iPod Touch, & iPad Fall 2010

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Today
Objective-C
Methods (Class and Instance) Instance Variables Properties Dynamic Binding Introspection nil and BOOL

Foundation Framework (time permitting)

NSObject, NSString, NSMutableString NSNumber, NSValue, NSData, NSDate NSArray, NSDictionary, NSSet Enumeration Property Lists

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Method Syntax
- (NSArray *)shipsAtPoint:(CGPoint)bombLocation withDamage:(BOOL)damaged;

Dash for instance method. Plus for class method. Will explain difference in a moment.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Method Syntax
- (NSArray *)shipsAtPoint:(CGPoint)bombLocation withDamage:(BOOL)damaged; Return type in parentheses

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Method Syntax
- (NSArray *)shipsAtPoint:(CGPoint)bombLocation withDamage:(BOOL)damaged; First part of method name. Full name is shipsAtPoint:withDamage: Second part of method name.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Method Syntax
- (NSArray *)shipsAtPoint:(CGPoint)bombLocation withDamage:(BOOL)damaged; Type of rst argument in parentheses. Type of second argument in parentheses. This one happens to be a C struct. This one is a BOOL (boolean value).

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Method Syntax
- (NSArray *)shipsAtPoint:(CGPoint)bombLocation withDamage:(BOOL)damaged; Name of rst argument. Use it like a local variable inside method denition. Name of second argument.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Method Syntax
- (NSArray *)shipsAtPoint:(CGPoint)bombLocation withDamage:(BOOL)damaged; Line up colons when there are lots of arguments (or argument names are long). - (void)splitViewController:(UISplitViewController*)svc willHideViewController:(UIViewController *)aViewController withBarButtonItem:(UIBarButtonItem *)barButtonItem forPopoverController:(UIPopoverController *)popoverController; Use IBAction (same as void) to alert Interface Builder of an action. - (IBAction)digitPressed:(UIButton *)sender; - (IBAction)digitPressed:(id)sender; - (IBAction)digitPressed:sender; - (IBAction)digitPressed; / same as (id)sender version /
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Instance Methods
Starts with a dash
- (IBAction)digitPressed:(UIButton *)sender;

Normal methods you are used to Can access instance variables inside as if they were locals Can send messages to self and super inside
Both dispatch the message to the calling object, but use different implementations If a superclass of yours calls a method on self, it will your implementation (if one exists)

Example calling syntax:

BOOL destroyed = [ship dropBomb:bombType at:dropPoint from:height];
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Class Methods
Starts with a plus. Used for allocation, singletons, utilities
+ (id)alloc; / makes space for an object of the receivers class (always pair w/init) / + (id)motherShip; / returns the one and only, shared (singleton) mother ship instance / + (int)turretsOnShipOfSize:(int)shipSize; / informational utility method /

Can not access instance variables inside Messages to self and super mean something a little different
Both invoke only other class methods. Inheritance does work.

Example calling syntax (a little different from instance methods)

CalculatorBrain *brain = [[CalculatorBrain alloc] init]; Ship *theMotherShip = [Ship motherShip]; Ship *newShip = [Ship shipWithTurrentCount:5]; int turretsOnMediumSizedShip = [Ship turretsOnShipOfSize:4];

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Instance Variables
Scope
By default, instance variables are @protected (only the class and subclasses can access). Can be marked @private (only the class can access) or @public (anyone can access).

Scope syntax
@interface MyObject : NSObject { int foo; @private int eye; @protected int bar; @public int forum; int apology; @private int jet; }

Protected: foo & bar Private: eye & jet Public: forum & apology

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Forget everything on the previous slide!
Mark all of your instance variables @private. Use @property and dot notation to access instance variables.

Create methods to set/get an instance variables value

@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } - (int)eye; - (void)setEye:(int)anInt; @end

Now anyone can access your instance variable using dot notation
someObject.eye = newEyeValue; int eyeValue = someObject.eye; // set the instance variable // get the instance variables current value
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Forget everything on the previous slide!
Mark all of your instance variables @private. Use @property and dot notation to access instance variables.

Create methods to set/get an instance variables value

@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } - (int)eye; - (void)setEye:(int)anInt; @end

Note the capitalization. Instance variables almost always start with lower case. In any case, the letter after set MUST be capitalized. Otherwise dot notation will not work.

Now anyone can access your instance variable using dot notation
someObject.eye = newEyeValue; int eyeValue = someObject.eye; // set the instance variable // get the instance variables current value
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
@property
You can get the compiler to generate set/get method declarations with @property directive
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } @property int eye; - (int)eye; - (void)setEye:(int)anInt; @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
@property
You can get the compiler to generate set/get method declarations with @property directive
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } @property int eye; @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
@property
You can get the compiler to generate set/get method declarations with @property directive
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } @property int eye; @end

If you use the

readonly

keyword, only the getter will be declared

/ does not declare a setEye: method /

@property (readonly) int eye;

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
An @property does not have to match an instance variable name
For example ...
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int p_eye; } @property int eye; @end

In fact, you do not even have to have a matching variable at all

The following is perfectly legal ...
@interface MyObject : NSObject { } @property int eye; @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
But whatever you declare, you must then implement
For example, consider the following header (.h) le:
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } @property int eye; @end

The corresponding implementation (.m) le might look like this:

@implementation MyObject - (int)eye { return eye; } - (void)setEye:(int)anInt { eye = anInt; } @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Or consider the case where the variable name is different
Header (.h) le:
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int p_eye; } @property int eye; @end

Corresponding implementation (.m) le:

@implementation MyObject - (int)eye { return p_eye; } - (void)setEye:(int)anInt { p_eye = anInt; } @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Or how about the no corresponding variable case?
Header (.h) le:
@interface MyObject : NSObject { } @property (readonly) int eye; @end

Implementation (.m) le:

@implementation MyObject - (int)eye { return } @end

<some calculated value for eye>;

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Let the compiler help you with implementation using
Header (.h) le:
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } @property int eye; @end

@synthesize!

Implementation (.m) le:

@implementation MyObject @synthesize eye; - (int)eye { return eye; } - (void)setEye:(int)anInt { eye = anInt; } @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Let the compiler help you with implementation using
Header (.h) le:
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } @property int eye; @end

@synthesize!

Implementation (.m) le:

@implementation MyObject @synthesize eye; @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Let the compiler help you with implementation using
Header (.h) le:
@interface MyObject : NSObject { @private int eye; } @property int eye; @end

@synthesize!

Implementation (.m) le:

@implementation MyObject @synthesize eye; @end

You can even get @synthesize to use a different variable

@synthesize eye = p_eye;
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
If you use @synthesize, you can still implement one or the other
@implementation MyObject @synthesize eye; - (void)setEye:(int)anInt { if (anInt > 0) eye = anInt; } @end

The method - (int)eye will still be implemented for you by @synthesize Your implementation of setEye: is the one that will count If you implemented both the setter and the getter, the @synthesize would be ignored

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Its common to use dot notation to access ivars inside your class
Its not the same as referencing the instance variable directly. For example, if eye is an instance variable ...
int x = eye;

... inside a method is not the same as ...

int x = self.eye;

The latter calls the getter method (which is usually what you want for subclassability).

But occasionally things can go terribly wrong!

Whats wrong with the following code?
- (void)setEye:(int)anInt { self.eye = anInt; }

Innite loop. Can happen with the getter too ...

- (int)eye { if (self.eye > 0) { return eye; } else { return -1; } }
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Why properties?
Most importantly, it provides safety and subclassability for instance variables. But the syntax also makes code look more consistent with C structs.
typedef struct { float x; float y; } Point;

Notice that we capitalize Point (just like a class name). It makes our C struct seem just like an object

@interface Bomb @property Point position; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle { float width, height; Point center; } @property float width; @property float height; @property Point center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb; @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Why properties?
Most importantly, it provides safety and subclassability for instance variables. But the syntax also makes code look more consistent with C structs.
typedef struct { float x; float y; } Point; @interface Bomb @property Point position; @end

Instance variables may or may not exist here. Remember that @property is just declaring the property. Bomb would still have to implement setter and getter (could use @synthesize, of course).

@interface Ship : Vehicle { float width, height; Point center; } @property float width; @property float height; @property Point center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb; @end

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Why properties?
Most importantly, it provides safety and subclassability for instance variables. But the syntax also makes code look more consistent with C structs.
typedef struct { float x; float y; } Point; @interface Bomb @property Point position; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle { float width, height; Point center; } @property float width; @property float height; @property Point center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb; @end

Returns whether the passed bomb would hit the receiving Ship.
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Why properties?
Most importantly, it provides safety and subclassability for instance variables. Notice access to instance But the syntax also makes code look more consistent with C structs. variable using property of self @implementation Ship typedef struct { instead of directly. float x;
float y; } Point; @interface Bomb @property Point position; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle { float width, height; Point center; } @property float width; @property float height; @property Point center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb; @end @synthesize width, height, center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb { float leftEdge = self.center.x - self.width/2; float rightEdge = ...; return ((bomb.position.x (bomb.position.x (bomb.position.y (bomb.position.y } @end
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

>= <= >= <=

leftEdge) && rightEdge) && topEdge) && bottomEdge));

Properties
Why properties?
Most importantly, it provides safety and subclassability for instance variables. But the syntax also makes code look more consistent with C structs.
typedef struct { float x; float y; } Point; @interface Bomb @property Point position; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle { float width, height; Point center; } @property float width; @property float height; @property Point center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb; @end @implementation Ship @synthesize width, height, center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb { float leftEdge = self.center.x - self.width/2; float rightEdge = ...; return ((bomb.position.x (bomb.position.x (bomb.position.y (bomb.position.y } @end >= <= >= <= leftEdge) && rightEdge) && topEdge) && bottomEdge));

Dot notation to reference an objects property.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Why properties?
Most importantly, it provides safety and subclassability for instance variables. But the syntax also makes code look more consistent with C structs.
typedef struct { float x; float y; } Point; @interface Bomb @property Point position; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle { float width, height; Point center; } @property float width; @property float height; @property Point center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb; @end @implementation Ship @synthesize width, height, center; - (BOOL)getsHitByBomb:(Bomb *)bomb { float leftEdge = self.center.x - self.width/2; float rightEdge = ...; return ((bomb.position.x (bomb.position.x (bomb.position.y (bomb.position.y } @end >= <= >= <= leftEdge) && rightEdge) && topEdge) && bottomEdge));

Dot notation to reference an objects property.

Normal C struct dot notation. Stanford

CS193p Fall 2010

Private Properties
Do all @propertys have to be public?
Example (this is all in MyObjects .m le):
@interface MyObject() @property double myEyesOnly; @end @implementation MyObject @synthesize eye, myEyesOnly; @end

No. It is possible to declare a private interface to your class inside your implementation le.

This is the magic to declare your private stuff. You can put properties and methods here, but not more instance variables.

The property myEyesOnly can only be set/get via self.myEyesOnly since it is private.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Properties
Theres more to think about when a @property is an object
Well postpone that discussion to later on when we talk about memory management

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Dynamic Binding
All objects are allocated in the heap, so you always use a pointer
Examples ...
NSString *s = ...; id obj = s;

/ static typed /

Never use id * (that would mean a pointer to a pointer to an object).

Decision about code to run on message send happens at runtime

Not at compile time. None of the decision is made at compile time. Static typing (e.g. NSString * vs. id) is purely an aid to the compiler to help you nd bugs. If neither the class of the receiving object nor its superclasses implements that method: crash!

It is legal (and sometimes even good code) to cast a pointer

But we usually do it only after weve used introspection to nd out more about the object. More on introspection in a minute.
id obj = ...; NSString *s = (NSString *)obj;
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

/ dangerous ... best know what you are doing /

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move];

No compiler warning. Perfectly legal since s isa Vehicle. Normal object-oriented stuff here.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move]; Vehicle *v = s;

No compiler warning. Perfectly legal since s isa Vehicle.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move]; Vehicle *v = s; [v shoot];

Compiler warning! Would not crash at runtime though. But only because we know v is a Ship. Compiler only knows v is a Vehicle.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move]; Vehicle *v = s; [v shoot]; id obj = ...; [obj shoot];

No compiler warning. The compiler knows that the method shoot exists, so its not impossible that obj might respond to it. But we have not typed obj enough for the compiler to be sure its wrong. So no warning. Might crash at runtime if obj is not a Ship (or an object of some other class that implements a shoot method).

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move]; Vehicle *v = s; [v shoot]; id obj = ...; [obj shoot]; [obj someMethodNameThatNoObjectAnywhereRespondsTo];

Compiler warning! Compiler has never heard of this method. Therefore its pretty sure obj will not respond to it.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move]; Vehicle *v = s; [v shoot]; id obj = ...; [obj shoot]; [obj someMethodNameThatNoObjectAnywhereRespondsTo]; NSString *hello = @hello; [hello shoot];

Compiler warning. The compiler knows that NSString objects do not respond to shoot. Guaranteed crash at runtime.
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move]; Vehicle *v = s; [v shoot]; id obj = ...; [obj shoot]; [obj someMethodNameThatNoObjectAnywhereRespondsTo]; NSString *hello = @hello; [hello shoot]; Ship *helloShip = (Ship *)hello;

No compiler warning. We are casting here. The compiler thinks we know what were doing.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move]; Vehicle *v = s; [v shoot]; id obj = ...; [obj shoot]; [obj someMethodNameThatNoObjectAnywhereRespondsTo]; NSString *hello = @hello; [hello shoot]; Ship *helloShip = (Ship *)hello; [helloShip shoot];

No compiler warning! Weve forced the compiler to think that the NSString is a Ship. Alls well, the compiler thinks.

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Object Typing
@interface Vehicle - (void)move; @end @interface Ship : Vehicle - (void)shoot; @end Ship *s = [[Ship alloc] init]; [s shoot]; [s move]; Vehicle *v = s; [v shoot]; id obj = ...; [obj shoot]; [obj someMethodNameThatNoObjectAnywhereRespondsTo]; NSString *hello = @hello; [hello shoot]; Ship *helloShip = (Ship *)hello; [helloShip shoot]; [(id)hello shoot];

No compiler warning! Weve forced the compiler to ignore the object type by casting in line. Alls well, the compiler thinks. Guaranteed crash at runtime.
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Introspection
So when do we use id? Isnt it always bad?
No, we might have a collection (e.g. an array) of objects of different classes. But wed have to be sure we know which was which before we sent messages to them. How do we do that? Introspection.

All objects that inherit from NSObject know these methods

isKindOfClass: returns whether an object is that kind of class (inheritance included) isMemberOfClass: returns whether an object is that kind of class (no inheritance) respondsToSelector: returns whether an object responds to a given method

Arguments to these methods are a little tricky

Class testing methods take a Class You get a Class by sending the class method class to a class :)
if ([obj isKindOfClass:[NSString class]]) { NSString *s = [(NSString *)obj stringByAppendingString:@xyzzy]; }

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Introspection
Method testing methods take a selector (SEL)
if ([obj respondsToSelector:@selector(shoot)]) { [obj shoot]; }

Special @selector() directive turns the name of a method into a selector

SEL

is the Objective-C type for a selector

SEL shootSelector = @selector(shoot); SEL moveToSelector = @selector(moveTo:);

Target/action uses this, e.g. [button addTarget:self action:@selector(digitPressed:)]

If you have a SEL, you can ask an object to perform it

Using the performSelector: or performSelector:withObject: methods in NSObject
[obj performSelector:shootSelector]; [obj performSelector:moveToSelector withObject:coordinate];
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

nil
The value of an object pointer that does not point to anything
id obj = nil; NSString *hello = nil;

Like zero for a primitive type (int, double, etc.)

Actually, its not like zero: it is zero.

NSObject

Thus, instance variables that are pointers to objects start out with the value of nil.

sets all its instance variables to zero

Can be implicitly tested in an if statement

if (obj) { }

/ curly braces will execute if obj points to an object /

Sending messages to nil is (mostly) okay. No code gets executed.

If the method returns a value, it will return zero. int i = [obj methodWhichReturnsAnInt]; / i will be zero if obj is nil / Be careful if the method returns a C struct. Return value is undened. CGPoint p = [obj getLocation]; / p will have an undened value if obj is nil /
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

BOOL
Objective-Cs boolean type (actually just a typedef)
Can be tested implicitly if (flag) { } if (!flag) { } YES means true, NO means false NO == 0, YES is anything else if (flag == YES) { } if (flag == NO) { } if (flag != NO) { }

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Foundation Framework
NSObject
Base class for pretty much every object in the iOS SDK Implements memory management primitives (more on this later) Implements introspection methods - (NSString *)description is a useful method to override (it %@ in NSLog()). s

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Foundation Framework
NSString
International (any language) strings using Unicode. Used throughout iOS instead of C languages char * type. Compiler will create an NSString for you using @foo notation. An NSString instance can not be modied! They are immutable. Usual usage pattern is to send a message to an NSString and it will return you a new one.
[display setText:[[display text] stringByAppendingString:digit]];

/ same but with properties / display.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:@%g, brain.operand]; / class method / Tons of utility functions available (case conversion, URLs, substrings, type conversions, etc.).
display.text = [display.text stringByAppendingString:digit];

NSMutableString
Mutable version of NSString. Can do some of the things NSString can do without creating a new one (i.e. in-place changes).
NSMutableString *mutString = [[NSMutableString alloc] initWithString:@0.]; [mutString appendString:digit];
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Foundation Framework
NSNumber
Object wrapper around primitive types like int, float, double, BOOL, etc.
NSNumber *num = [NSNumber numberWithFloat:36.5]; float f = [num floatValue];

Useful when you want to put these primitive types in a collection (e.g. NSArray or NSDictionary).

NSValue
Generic object wrapper for other non-object data types.
CGPoint point = CGPointMake(25.0, 15.0); NSValue *val = [NSValue valueWithCGPoint:point];

NSData
Bag of bits. Used to save/restore/transmit data throughout the iOS SDK.

NSDate
Used to nd out the time right now or to store past or future times/dates. See also NSCalendar, NSDateFormatter, NSDateComponents.
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Foundation Framework
NSArray
Ordered collection of objects. Immutable. Thats right, you cannot add or remove objects to it once its created. Important methods:
+ (id)arrayWithObjects:(id)firstObject, ...; - (int)count; - (id)objectAtIndex:(int)index; - (void)makeObjectsPerformSelector:(SEL)aSelector; - (NSArray *)sortedArrayUsingSelector:(SEL)aSelector; - (id)lastObject;

/ returns nil if there are no objects in the array (convenient) /

NSMutableArray
Mutable version of NSArray.
- (void)addObject:(id)anObject; - (void)insertObject:(id)anObject atIndex:(int)index; - (void)removeObjectAtIndex:(int)index;
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Foundation Framework
NSDictionary
Hash table. Look up objects using a key to get a value. Immutable. Thats right, you cannot add or remove objects to it once its created. Keys are objects which must implement - (NSUInteger)hash & - (BOOL)isEqual:(NSObject *)obj Keys are usually NSString objects. Important methods:
- (int)count; - (id)objectForKey:(id)key; - (NSArray *)allKeys; - (NSArray *)allValues;

NSMutableDictionary
Mutable version of NSDictionary.
- (void)setObject:(id)anObject forKey:(id)key; - (void)removeObjectForKey:(id)key; - (void)addEntriesFromDictionary:(NSDictionary *)otherDictionary;
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Foundation Framework
NSSet
Unordered collection of objects. Immutable. Thats right, you cannot add or remove objects to it once its created. Important methods:
- (int)count; - (BOOL)containsObject:(id)anObject; - (id)anyObject; - (void)makeObjectsPerformSelector:(SEL)aSelector; - (id)member:(id)anObject;

/ uses isEqual: and returns a matching object (if any) /

NSMutableSet
Mutable version of NSSet.
- (void)addObject:(id)anObject; - (void)removeObject:(id)anObject; - (void)unionSet:(NSSet *)otherSet; - (void)minusSet:(NSSet *)otherSet; - (void)intersectSet:(NSSet *)otherSet;
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Enumeration
Looping through members of a collection in an efcient manner
Language support using for-in (similar to Java) Example: NSArray of NSString objects
NSArray *myArray = ...; for (NSString *string in myArray) { } double value = [string doubleValue];

/ crash here if string is not an NSString /

Example: NSSet of id (could just as easily be an NSArray of id)

NSSet *mySet = ...; for (id obj in mySet) {

/ do something with obj, but make sure you dont send it a message it does not respond to /
if ([obj isKindOfClass:[NSString class]]) { } }

/ send NSString messages to obj with impunity /

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Enumeration
Looping through the keys or values of a dictionary
Example:
NSDictionary *myDictionary = ...; for (id key in myDictionary) {

/ do something with key here /

} id value = [myDictionary objectForKey:key]; / do something with value here /

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Property List
The term Property List just means a collection of collections
Specically, it is any graph of objects containing only the following classes: NSArray, NSDictionary, NSNumber, NSString, NSDate, NSData

An NSArray is a Property List if all its members are too

So an NSArray of NSString is a Property List. So is an NSArray of NSArray as long as those NSArrays members are Property Lists.

An NSDictionary is one only if all keys and values are too Why dene this term?

An NSArray of NSDictionarys whose keys are NSStrings and values are NSNumbers is one.

Because the SDK has a number of methods which operate on Property Lists. Usually to read them from somewhere or write them out to somewhere. [plist writeToFile:(NSString *)path atomically:(BOOL)]; // plist is NSArray or NSDictionary
Stanford CS193p Fall 2010

Next Time
More Foundation Object Allocation/Initialization Memory Management Demo

Stanford CS193p Fall 2010